


The Green Carnation

by LadyMephistopheles



Category: Red White & Royal Blue - Casey McQuiston
Genre: Alex is a disaster bi, Alternate Universe - Coffee Shops & Cafés, Fluff, Henry is a D&D nerd, M/M, The cafe is gay
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-06-10
Updated: 2020-06-10
Packaged: 2021-03-03 20:42:01
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 11,202
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24651748
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/LadyMephistopheles/pseuds/LadyMephistopheles
Summary: "Hi! Welcome to Green Carnation, I'm Henry. What can I do for you?" says Henry, apparently.OR"The coffee shop au this fandom desperately needed." - Net
Relationships: Alex Claremont-Diaz/Henry Fox-Mountchristen-Windsor, Ellen Claremont/Leo
Comments: 20
Kudos: 100





	The Green Carnation

**Author's Note:**

> The biggest thank you to Net for being an amazing friend, amazing beta and for turning Henry into a D&D nerd he definitely is. Go follow her on [Tumblr](https://geneticallymutatedglitter.tumblr.com)!
> 
> Also big shout out for my amazing Jury and for the folks over at the discord server. You're amazing and I wouldn't have done it without you. If you want to join us, just click [here](https://discord.gg/25DZeU9) and tell them I sent you!

They weren't joking when they said that senior year would be hard. Alex can feel the future stress of this semester in his bones. Even though this academic year has only just started, the workload is already beginning to be demanding and he can already see himself easily slipping into the sleepless weeks of studying. Alex knows that Nora and June will worry about him. They always do when he goes weeks without sleep, running purely on huge quantities of coffee. He'd already failed at getting a proper night's sleep last night and as a result was now running late for the first class. He is absolutely already over this day.

It is nearly noon when Alex has the realization that he forgot his keys when he left the house in the morning.

**irl chaos demon**

**Nora, can I grab yr keys? Left mine at home**

**Sure. Come pick them up.**

**I'm @ work until 5.**

**Love you :***

Alex is out of the auditorium the moment his last lecture is over. He knows that Nora works somewhere close to campus, but he has not had a chance to go there yet. He only knows the address and he thinks it is some sort of a coffee shop.. One way or another, they serve coffee there, which, in Alex's opinion, is always a necessity.

Upon putting in the address, he realizes the place is closer than he originally thought; only about 15 minutes away. He is glad this trip hardly costs him any study time.

The navigation leads him to a quiet street, identical looking row houses, all of them with cream siding, windows with pink frames and green shutters. One of those houses, just at the end of the street, has the sign Alex is looking for: The Green Carnation. When he walks in, he is greeted by a cozy interior. On the wall immediately by the entrance there was a massive cork board full of pamphlets, leaflets and catchy phrases like _You're bi-eautiful_!. After taking a closer look at it, Alex notices that there are lots of hotline numbers there as well.

A bit further inside, Alex notices a couple of tables and an old fireplace off to the side and a counter on the opposite side of the room. When Alex approaches, he can see a man busying himself behind the counter as there are no other customers inside. He must have heard Alex walk in because he turns around just as Alex reaches him.

"Hi! Welcome to Green Carnation, I'm Henry. What can I do for you?" says Henry, apparently. He is quite tall (taller than Alex, who is not happy about it, thank you very much), his hair sandy blonde. Henry is immaculately dressed, his crisp white shirt neatly tucked into his trousers with a plain black apron protecting it.

"Er... Hi. I'm looking for Nora?" Alex answers as he distractedly takes a closer look at the counter.

"Ah, yes. She is just busy at the back, she'll be out in a moment," Henry says smiling at him. "Would you like something to drink while you wait?"

"Yeah, sure," Alex glances at the menu board above Henry's head but instead of the usual list of drinks he sees a list of phrases like _The Ineffable_ or _Sappho_ with no explanation. Alex also notices that there aren't any prices noted next to those items. "Er... just a cup of black coffee? I don't know which one of these it is," he points at the menu, the confusion clearly visible on his face.

"That would be one Sweet Prince," Henry smiles at him again and notes down his order on a piece of paper.

"Great. How much?"

"It is pay what you will, really. Just drop whatever you wish in the box here." And that's when Alex notices two things. First of all, Henry has a faint British accent, one of those you will hear Colin Firth or Judi Dench speak in movies. Second, by the box which Henry pointed out, there's a little note, which reads:

_Green Carnation is a non-profit safe space for LGBT youth run by the Okonjo Foundation. We understand that not everyone is in position to be able to afford hot food or drink, but if you can afford it, we encourage you to donate and help those in need._

_If you are in need of some help, please ask one of the staff members or have a look at our resource board by the entrance._

Alex has not yet finished reading when he is taking his wallet out of the messenger bag and drops some money into the box. He remembers when as a teenager he was trying to figure out if he was bisexual or not. His revelation wasn't anything profound. One day his high school best friend kissed him as practice and he liked it. That is everything there is to it. It has never been a major issue to him personally in terms of having to come out, he'll just jump over that bridge when he comes to it. He has only ever really dated girls but he knows not everyone is as lucky as him. And he knows the LGBT history of the country, he is a son of Democrats after all and his mom is going to be the fucking President. He has got to know those things.

"Here's your coffee," Alex hears after a few minutes. He smiles at Henry and takes his drink to one of the tables by the fireplace. From there he has got a good view on the counter so he'll be able to spot Nora easily.

He figures he may as well do some studying while he waits. That paper for Roman Political Thought won't write itself, after all. The thing about Alex studying is that he often zones out completely like there's nothing else in the world than the paper he is currently writing or an exam he is prepping for. It could've been an hour or maybe just 15 minutes and Alex's so lost in his thought process that he doesn't notice anything around him until he hears a sound of someone putting a cup on his table. He looks up from his work and sees Henry smiling at him.

"So you're one of Nora's roommates?"

"Yeah, I'm Alex. I'm sure she only talks about how great I am."

"How modest."

"That's all I know."

"Well, you're as arrogant as she says so you come as advertised," Henry said jokingly, smiling at him again.

"Thanks?" Alex doesn't know what to think of this conversation. Luckily for him he doesn't have to think of it that much as he sees Nora leaving the staff area, tossing the keys to Alex once she is in range (he catches them expertly in his opinion).

"Here you go, you dumbass. Don't forget them next time!" she says instead of hello. "I'll be home after six. There better be food!"

Alex laughs at her and gives her a hug. "You're the best!" He turns around to put away his essay notes and grab his bag. "Thanks for coffee, Henry. I'll see you around!"

* * *

As September turns into October, Alex finds himself deeper and deeper in the rabbit hole of college coursework. He is also taken to spending a lot of time at Green Carnation, he finds the atmosphere there calming. When he comes in, he says hello to whoever is behind the counter (Alex doesn't know why, but that person turns out to be mostly Henry and Nora is nowhere to be found even though he knows she IS working), he goes to put his bag down near the table and by the time he gets to the counter, Henry's got his coffee freshly made and waiting for him. Alex doesn't know how or why but his coffee always turns out just the way he likes it. Thank God, his last class was cancelled today, extra long study sessions are his jam.

"So how's it going?" Alex asks Henry as he takes a sip from the mug. "Anything interesting happen when I was in class?"

"Pez is planning another change of décor for one holiday or another. Beyond that? Nothing new under the sun. How was your lecture?"

Alex smiles at him and bores him with the details of the lecture for a few minutes and then goes back to his table. He notices that David snuck onto his chair and is currently snoring loudly. David is Henry's beagle and he can wander wherever he wants in the shop, often begging other customers for food or just their attention (He is half convinced David is the face of the Green Carnation judging by their Instagram account). Alex has met him a couple of times before, but he is never been privileged enough to experience the adorableness that is a sleeping David.

Alex smiles at him. He puts the mug down, takes his laptop and a few textbooks out of his bag, then puts them on the table. Finally, he gently picks up David, then sits down in the chair and places the dog on his lap. The dog opens one eye to look at him but otherwise is not bothered by the whole debacle. Alex's focus turns into his work even before he is fully settled so he doesn't notice the eyes watching him nor he hears the snap of a camera.

It is well into the evening when Alex lifts his head up from the work. He is really pleased with himself as he is not only managed to do all of the preliminary research on George W. Bush's presidency for an essay for his Political Scandals class, but he also made some progress on his secret project. He calls it The Texas File in his head, and until today it has only existed in his mind and nobody else knows about it, not even June or Nora. Not even his mom, and she is set on running for President in the upcoming election. The File is just basically a very detailed study on his home state, with demographics breakdown per county. What Alex hopes is that it will help him understand how the counties work and how the state behaves overall. He hopes that he can find something to make it go blue instead of red next year.

Alex is at his fifth coffee this study session (he doesn't order them, they just appear on the table out of nowhere at just the right moments and he mentally notes that he'll leave another tip before he heads out) and in the deep dive into the detailed demographics of voters in Colorado County from the last 50 or so years when he hears someone come in.

"Nora, come, help me with this!" Alex looks up and sees Pez, but this time he dyed his hair a neon blue color. He is the heir to Okonjo Industries, Nigerian company leading Africa in biomedical advancements. Alex researched him after the first visit, he was very curious about the Okonjo Foundation and Alex always wants to be knowledgeable about where his money goes (and Nora never tells him anything). "It is for Halloween! This year we're doing a scary movie theme, so I got a bunch of movie props and costume replicas to put around the place. It is going to look sick!" Alex tunes out the conversation after this and goes back to his work. It is not like it is his business after all, he doesn't need to know.

When Alex goes into hyper focus, he loses track of reality. There's only him and the work. He can go on for days on hardly any sleep, fueled only by coffee and his own determination. He doesn't register any conversations unless directly spoken to or react to anything, or anyone, not needed for him to accomplish whatever goal he has set for himself. He is been known to sneak pills out of Liam's Adderall bottle back in high school when he thought his grades were slipping and he needed to do some extra work. The point is, Alex's brain trained itself over the years to acknowledge when he hears his name mentioned. And this is exactly what happens, when his brain registers Nora say:

"...sure Alex could do that." Alex has no idea what was just said but he nodded anyway. Surely they'll tell him more if they needed anything from him, won't they? He doesn't need to listen, does he?

* * *

By the time the week has ended, Alex has completely forgotten about the conversation so he has no idea what is going on when he gets a text from an unknown number.

**+1-646-643-8930**

**Oct 21 2019, 9:19PM**

**Hi Alex! Are you free next week**

**to give us a hand with the shop?**

**Who's this?**

**It is Henry from Green Carnation.**

**I got your number from Nora.**

**She said you agreed to give**

**us a hand.**

Alex pauses for a moment. He doesn't remember the specifics but he vaguely recalls something to do with decoration boxes happening earlier in the week. Maybe Nora mentioned they're doing something? Alex is just about to go and check if Nora's home, when he gets a text from her: _Alex, Henry's gonna msg u. U agreed to give us a hand. Don't disappoint me._ Alex smiles. This sounds so much like her, always making sure Alex does what he promised. He goes back to the message from Henry and hovers over the reply button. He skims over his schedule in his mind and taps the reply button: _Hi Henry! I'm free Wednesday after 4 if it works for you?_ He hears the whoosh of the message being sent and then taps another button to add Henry's number to his contacts. He puts Not a Drug Dealer [coffee emoji] in the contact name box. He puts away his phone and goes back to work, still smiling.

* * *

Wednesday comes faster than Alex thought it would. He wakes up in the morning on the 4th alarm, as per usual, and drags his zombie ass to the coffee maker. While the coffee is brewing, he goes and gets ready for the day. He puts on some clothes, brushes his teeth and washes his face. It feels weird not to put tons of textbooks inside his bag this morning but Alex knows that he won't be getting a lot of studying done today. He may squeeze in a short session before he is going to Green Carnation but that's about it. After making sure he has got absolutely everything (including his keys) packed, he grabs the bag and heads out of the room and back to the kitchen. He pours himself a cup and finally takes a sip, then another, and another one. He places the empty cup in the sink and thinks that the coffee at Green Carnation tastes much better. He then grabs his bag, his jacket and heads out for the day. He can't wait for the afternoon when he'll get some of the good stuff.

* * *

By the time his classes end, Alex is buzzing with pent up energy. He has got no clue as to why he is feeling like this, but he can't help himself. Is it to do with Henry? It is not like they have not been left on their own in the coffee shop because that happens on the regular. Is it because he doesn't know what will happen when he gets there? Up until then it was predictable. He walks in, gets some coffee, sit downs at the table and works until there's smoke coming out of his brain. He knows that routine. He likes it. A lot. But there's something telling him that things are soon to change and Alex doesn't know if he likes it or not.

The thing is, Alex has always thought that Henry is (objectively) attractive. He is tall, has blond hair and big eyes in the bluest shade of blue possible, what's not to like? He is nice, well spoken, and he is authentic in his behavior. He cares about animals and other people. And he has got a dog. Perfect boyfriend material. Alex might be a bit attracted to him. Just a tiny bit.

The other thing is, Alex kind of doesn't know what to do if he had a boyfriend. He is always known he is bisexual, that's not a problem here, but he has never felt the need to come out to anyone because there has never been a need to do it. He knows his family and friends will be chill with the idea, but the time is not the best to be in a relationship of any form. At least not for Alex. His final year of college, LSAT prep and his mom's Presidential campaign, which he hopes to be put on board of, make his plate full enough without a relationship. It is fine. Alex is going to be just fine.

Honestly, he is not even sure where this is coming from. He is helping decorate the shop, not doing some weird courtship ritual. Spending the afternoon with a hot piece of ass doesn't even mean anything. He does this all the time, so why does this feel so intimate.

Alex is so lost in his thoughts that he doesn't realize that he is been standing in front of Green Carnation until he hears the door open. He looks up and sees a short but fierce looking woman in a floral dress and a motorcycle jacket thrown over it. She is smiling at him like she can read his entire life just by looking at him. There's something familiar in her but Alex can't quite pin it.

"You must be Alex. Henry said you were coming," She moves to the side to let him in. "I'm Bea, Henry's sister." He looks at Bea again and starts to see the resemblance. Henry and her have the same mouth and a similar manner of speaking. It hits him that he really doesn't know much about Henry's family.

"Hi, nice to meet you." Alex shakes Bea's hand before he walks in. Inside is total chaos.. Boxes upon boxes are taking up almost the entire floorspace. And then there's Henry and Pez balancing a ladder on which Nora is standing and securing some fairy lights to the ceiling. She notices him first.

"Guys! Alex is here!" she shouts and gracefully jumps off the ladder and to the floor. She runs to give him a hug and drag him so he can say hello to Henry and Pez.

"Alright! Now that we're all here, I'm gonna put on _Return of the Jedi_ to have some fun and we'll split into groups to finish this quicker. We all grab some boxes and split the place in half. Henry, you work with Alex. Nora will work with Bea and me." Pez says as he points the remote at the TV and presses play on the remote and the opening scene of the movie starts playing. Alex glances over the screen just as Capital ship starts approaching the Death Star.

They go to the front and start there with the door. Alex opens the box he is been carrying and sees prints and paper decorations all vaguely based off of some horror movies.

"What am I supposed to do with them?" he asks Henry, pointing towards the contents of the box.

"Let's put anything that we can hang near the board. And I guess we'll try to put at least some of the posters on the walls." After that they work and carry on small talking, breaking it every now and then with comments regarding placement of their set of decorations.

"You seriously play Dungeons and Dragons?"

"Yeah, I'm currently playing as a barbarian - basically the personification of America."

Alex looks around and doesn't recognize the place. It feels like they've all been transported to a completely different place. Someone procured some fake jack-o-lanterns and placed them on the counter, some black material was draped over the fireplace, pillows were swapped on the chairs. The place looks positively spooky and they have only scratched the surface of the stuff Pez has somehow procured before today.

"Alright, I think we're done! Thank you for your hard work!" Pez announces. "Let's order some pizza and finish the movie! Vader is about to take Luke to the Death Star!" They all get comfy while Pez gets their pizza orders. Alex turns to Henry.

"So Star Wars? You don't strike me as the type," he asks Henry.

"Why? _Return_... is my favorite," Henry smiles at him.

"Wow, you're so wrong," Alex feels offended by this. Everyone knows that Empire is the best.

"How can I be wrong about my favorite? It is a personal truth."

"It is a personal truth that is wrong AND bad."

"Which do you prefer then? Show me the error of my ways."

"Okay. It is _Empire_."

"So dark."

"That's what makes it good!" Alex argues. "It is the most technically complex of them all. It is got Han Solo and Leia's kiss, you meet Yoda and Han's at the top of his game! You get fucking Lando Calrissian AND the best plot twist in history! And what does _Return_ have? Fuckin' Ewoks."

"Ewoks are iconic!" argues Henry.

"Oi, shut up, Alex!" Nora throws a French fry at him. They tone it down after that but continue to argue quietly until the movie ends. They clean up the place quickly to make sure it is ready for the morning before they go home. Alex learns that Henry lives above the shop when he sees him go up there to quickly take David out.

Alex turns to Pez and Bea, still standing there. "Thanks guys. I'll see you around!" He waves before he heads out with Nora.

When they're home, Nora gives Alex a hug. "Thanks for coming. I know you didn't have to but we really appreciate it."

Once in his room, Alex checks his phone and sees a few texts from Henry.

**Not a Drug Dealer [coffee emoji]**

**Oct 24 2019, 00:03 AM**

**Thank you for coming, I appreciate**

**your help. David says hi!**

**[David_The_Beagle.jpg]**

**No problem! Next time**

**I'll need more David time, tho**

Alex smiles thinking about his day. He is really fucking enjoyed spending time with those weirdos. And he really enjoyed getting to know Henry more. He really makes an interesting human being.

The rest of the month goes by smoothly and their Halloween decor is appreciated by both regulars and non-regulars. Alex continues studying at Green Carnation, continues to spend the majority of his time there. He and Henry also start texting more. Alex learns that Henry got a degree in English lit and would love to be a writer one day. He learns that Henry adopted David basically the same day as he came to the States. He hears about him and Bea from they were younger and they were still in England. Alex learns also more about Bea herself, who comes to visit Henry as often as she can. Apparently they're in the same D&D campaign too. Turns out, Bea once studied fine arts but dropped out when she realized that she is more suited to performance arts. In return, he tells Henry about his sister, who took a job in NYC only to look after him (He is never said anything but he knows it is true). He tells Henry about their home in Texas, about how their bedrooms were across the hall and how Alex's room has always been full of lacrosse trophies and textbooks ("What's lacrosse? Henry asked and Alex spent a solid hour explaining the rules of the game), while June's room has always reflected whatever she is been interested in at the time, from watercolors at the age of twelve, lunar calendar and crystal charts at fifteen to clippings from The Atlantic, a UT Austin pennant, Gloria Steinem, Zora Neale Hurston, and excerpts from the papers of Dolores Huerta, at sixteen.

Alex also learns that there are moments when Henry is troubled by something dark, something he doesn't want to talk about. Over time, Alex subconsciously learns how to recognize those moments: it takes Henry much longer to reply to his messages and the replies are short, lacking their usual passion, and his smile doesn't quite reach his eyes when he is working. And Alex makes sure to remind Henry that he can always talk to him, even though Alex knows very well, that his offer will be left hanging in the air.

Alex learns how to appreciate the little distractions Henry's providing him. Sometimes it'll be a fresh cup of coffee and a freshly baked scone, delivered straight to his table when he is buried himself in his work at the café. Sometimes, it'll be a meme or a funny picture of David (who is a total sweetheart. June and Nora agree). Sometimes it will be just a short update on his D&D campaign,, which distracts him from whatever problem he is trying to solve at the time. Alex appreciates all of those gestures. Yet there's this weird tightness around his chest whenever he thinks of Henry that Alex cannot quite explain.

* * *

Once November ends, there's a massive cork board that either June or Nora bring from somewhere (Alex bets that June took it from work), that goes in their living room. Shortly after that it starts filling with the details of their annual New Year's Eve party. It is a Claremont-Diaz household annual tradition. This year they have decided that they will host the party twice: once in New York for their friends and family, and then again for their family in Texas where they go every year for Christmas, even though it has been years since any of them has actually lived there. After their parents divorced, their dad moved to California and since their mom is the Speaker, she spends the majority of her time in DC anyway. It makes more sense that way. Their mom decided to keep the house in Austin for times like this, when they just want to spend time as a family. A family friend looks after it when they're not there to make sure everything works and is ready for when they travel there.

In the first week of December they send out messages to invite people over for the party. They have decided to invite Henry and Pez, and Bea once Henry confirmed that she will be in town at the time. It is going to take place in the second half of the month, around the time Alex's college breaks for the winter break and just before Hanukkah starts, so Nora can safely get to Vermont to celebrate the holidays with her family there. It is both a way for them to see their friends who otherwise wouldn't be able to get to Austin and for Alex to celebrate the end of his finals. Then the day before Christmas Eve, Alex and June fly out to Austin to see their whole family. Their mom and their dad will already be there, prepping for the big dinner and they will spend some time as a family.

The closer to finals it gets, the more hyper focused Alex gets. He is sleeping less and less, drinking more and more coffee each day. He is hardly ever seen without his face buried in a textbook or two. He spends hours upon hours in the coffee shop just going through his notes and the myriads of flashcards he is prepared. His work pays off and by the time the finals end, Alex feels pretty good about his work. He hopes his professors agree.

* * *

They get up early on the day of the party as there's always something that needs to be finished. Alex and June go to the grocery store to pick up produce and then Alex virtually locks himself up in the kitchen to prepare the food. He plans on some simple, crowd pleasers: homemade tortilla chips, salsa verde and some buffalo chicken enchiladas. Just enough for them not to waste anything and for everyone to feel satisfied. In the meanwhile, June and Nora set up the living space and make sure that the playlist is all up to date and that they have a good selection of board games to choose from.

Once it gets closer to the evening, people start arriving. They have not really settled on an 'official' starting time, but they've been waiting and chilling with some music since late afternoon. The first one to come is Bea, who forwent her usual dress and biker jacket for a stylish black jumpsuit, an off-white blazer and blue heels. She greets them at the door and then hands Alex a paper bag.

"I brought some low-alcohol stuff," she explains. "I figured you didn't know I'm teetotal." Alex starts looking sheepish. He could have asked Henry about it, just to make sure.

"Sorry, I should have asked beforehand."

"Don't worry!" Bea smiles. "I'm so ready to just unwind. This month has been just crazy."

"I still feel bad," answers Alex. "Anyway, come in. We have snacks over there, and any cups and cutlery are on the kitchen island. Help yourself as needed."

Alex, June, Nora and Bea are in the middle of their second round of Scrabble when they hear the doorbell. June gracefully jumps off the couch and runs to open the door. Alex places his tiles on the board and then looks around and sees Pez and Henry come in. He is wearing a simple black coat and a scarf. As he takes these off, Alex notices that he is wearing a nice pair of chinos and a tight button down shirt. His clothes are doing unspeakable things to Alex, who needs to look away just as Henry explains that they've decided to close Green Carnation early for the day, considering that the holiday period is bound to be busy for them. Henry mentioned that Pez's foundation also runs shelters for LGBT youth, one of which is in Brooklyn and they have to be ready as there's bound to be a wave of kiddos that need help.

Once everyone has settled with some food, they can finally start. Alex cranks up the music a bit, while the rest of the group settle on something they could play.

After a couple of games of Fluxx, Alex suggests their next game.

"Hey y'all, we should play D&D," his suggestion is greeted with nods, Henry going red, and June and Nora giving each other knowing looks.

After weeks of listening to Henry update him on his campaign, Alex decided he wanted to try and sent a text message to June

**Bug**

**June. We need to play D &D at the party!!!**

**That's so much work and I am NOT committing to a campaign**

**One-shot? No further obligations???**

**Ugh. Fine you dick.**

Alex is excited to try out his tiefling rogue and attempt to understand this game. Henry agreed to be the Dungeon Master and everyone else filled out some character sheets prior to the evening. It is not lost on Alex how absolutely nerdy this is and how he definitely would not be doing this during high school aka the height of his cool guy status.

The game goes pretty smoothly - as smoothly as they can with a majority of total noobs. Henry is exasperated by Alex's rogue who refuses to check a door before knocking it down and leading them into the next segment. (Henry even set up some dungeons and dragons for this!)

It is around midnight when Alex starts to get overwhelmed with the level of noise. The amount of alcohol he is consumed doesn't help in his situation. He has not drank that much, but it still hits him pretty hard, considering how manic the last week or so has been. He disappears briefly into his room to grab a hoodie. Then, against his best judgment, he pours himself another glass of whiskey and sneaks onto the balcony. He can still hear the music out there but it is not as overwhelming as inside.

He thinks about the future. He doesn't know what he really wants to do with his life. Ever since he saw his parents succeed in Congress, he wanted to be like them. For as long as he remembers he is always wanted to be the youngest ever senator in US history, and yet at the back of his head he sees all those kids coming to Green Carnation, some of them with visible blood on their faces, sneaking into the toilets to clean themselves up. He knows not everyone is as lucky as he is to have such accepting and progressive parents and he wants to make a difference in their lives.

Alex is so lost in his thoughts that he doesn't hear the balcony door open and someone walking out.

"I was worried when I didn't see come back, you know," Alex hears Henry say.

Alex turns around and sees Henry stand next to him, his hands in his pockets. He would appear almost sober if it wasn't for a tiny wobble to the left that Alex notices. He always carries himself like he was a nobleman or someone, Alex always attributes it to his English upbringing. Henry turns to face him and Alex notices that the moonlight caught his hair, making it shimmer in the dim light. His face looks much softer in the half-shadows of the night, making it inviting in a way that Alex cannot quite work out.

"Stars are beautiful, don't you think?" Henry asks, not quite looking at them. "I wonder if I can find Orion here."

They fall silent for a moment after that until Alex hears Henry's voice barely above a whisper.

"If you could change anything in your life, anything at all, what would you change?"

"I don't really know," answers Alex thoughtfully. "I have never really thought about it. I'm pretty happy with my life overall. How about you?"

Henry falls silent for a while and when he opens his mouth again, his voice is as quiet, if not even more so, as when he asked Alex the question. "I would like to be braver, I think," Henry pauses again. Alex can see that he is trying to compose himself. "I would like to have thought for myself more," he elaborates. "You see, I have always been somewhat of an outcast. I have never quite fit with my family's traditional views: fight for the Queen and country, marry a woman of a respectable standing, build a house, have a son, that sort of a thing. As you know, I always wanted to be a writer. My family on the other hand, doesn't consider writing to be _manly_ enough," Henry makes air quotes when he says manly, "to be worth pursuing. The traditional career path for them is military, that's what my brother Philip did. After my dad passed away both grandma and my brother started asking when I'll settle down and join the army. And even if I wanted to settle down there, there is not anyone of whom my family would approve." Alex stays quiet but considers Henry's face in profile, blinking through the booze, he follows the smooth line of his nose, the gentle contour of his lips, as he approaches him, one of Henry's hand resting on the railing right next to Alex's.

"What do you mean?" Alex asks. He can't stop himself from doing it. Usually, there's something about the set of Henry's mouth that betrays a bit of friendliness, but sometimes, like right now, Alex can't quite read his expression. All he knows is that there's something in this raw cut of Henry's being that draws Alex to him.

"The options I have... They don't really seem to be _options_ at all for them." Henry casts Alex a sidelong glance before looking away at the city.

"What?" Alex is confused. Is the alcohol impacting his ability to English? Maybe they should switch to Spanish? Maybe that will be easier?

"I'm saying that I have... people... who interest me," Henry says, fully turning his body toward Alex now, speaking in a way like he is trying to explain that it means something important. "But I shouldn't pursue them. At least not in the eyes of my family."

"I don't know what the hell you're talking about," Alex says.

"You really don't?"

"I really, really don't." Henry's whole face grimaces in frustration. He looks up, like he is asking the gods of the sky for help.

"Christ, you really are as thick as it gets," he says, and he grabs Alex's face in both hands and kisses him.

Alex freezes. His brain goes into overdrive and he is not registering what's happening. He tries to make it work, to somehow process what's happening but the only thing that comes out of it is one thought: _Henry's lips are really soft_ over and over again. He relaxes and leans into the kiss and into the softness of Henry's lips, who in turn opens them up making Alex open his as well. Their tongues brush against each other which sends sparks down his body. He is never felt like this. Not with any of his girlfriends, not even with Nora, back in a day. This kiss fills his entire body, makes his entire body shiver. His hands act on their own and soon Alex finds his hands grabbing Henry's hair, mimicking the signals he received from him. Their kiss deepens. Alex hears a sound, something akin to a moan, that escapes through one of their mouths and which breaks the silence and then...

Just as suddenly as Henry kissed him, he releases him and before Alex's brain kicks in and registers his surroundings, he is gone. It takes him a bit longer to compose himself but by the time he walks back inside, Henry, Bea and Pez are gone and it seems that the party has wrapped up. Alex ignores concerned faces of June and Nora and goes straight to his bedroom and locks himself in. He grabs his phone, unlocks it and opens up his text conversation with Henry. He sends him one message: _Henry, we need to talk. Can we? Alex_ lays down on his bed, fully clothed and stares at the ceiling. He hears the knocking on his door, he hears Nora and June's concerned voices but ignores them all. He lays there awake, hoping for a message but his phone stays silent. Alex doesn't sleep for the whole night.

* * *

Alex doesn't remember how they got to Austin. He doesn't remember getting up, nor leaving their apartment or traveling to the airport but June must've made sure he has got everything he needs. He is been compulsively checking his phone, hoping to see a notification of a text from Henry, but nothing comes. It is full on radio silence on Henry's end. He sends him another text when they're at the airport and another one just before the aircraft takes off. He then checks his phone every fifteen minutes while on the plane, even though he knows very well that he has got no cell reception in the air. To pass time on the plane, Alex mindlessly browses his Instagram feed when he sees a familiar picture of himself and David. Even though it was taken in November, it was posted only the other day. The caption reads: _Working hard and hardly working here at Green Carnation_. Alex hesitates, his finger hovering over the like button. In the end he doesn't like the picture but continues to stare at it for the remainder of the flight.

When they land and get out of the airport, they're greeted by their mom, still in her business suit, which means that she got there straight from one meeting or another. Alex smiles when he sees her. Even though he loves New York and wouldn't change it for anything, he misses home. After his first year of college he is taken to wearing the house key as a necklace.

"Let's grab something to eat and we'll head home," Ellen says. "Leo wants Chinese."

And like that, they jump into the car and they're off. Forty or so minutes later they're pulling up to the driveway of their home. The house is not anything special, really. All one story with gray-ish siding, very similar to the other houses in the neighborhood. They have lived there for years, Ellen worked hard and bought it while she was fighting against injustice in front of the Supreme Court. Who knew back then that this small, strawberry blond woman would soon be aiming for the highest possible position in politics.

They all walk in and Alex and June say hello to Leo. Their mom met Leo when Alex was fourteen. It was at a charity gala when Ellen was a speaker and Leo was an eccentric millionaire inventor with dozens of patents money to burn on women health initiatives. Nowadays, Leo sold his companies and decided to become a house husband to support Ellen in her campaign and (fingers crossed) future presidency. He is the only one who can keep up with Ellen. Her marriage to Alex's dad, senator Oscar Diaz, could be named the typical political marriage: they couldn't even order takeout without heavy negotiations and a written agreement.

They all relax and watch some TV while eating their food. Alex tries to force himself to forget about Henry for a while and check it only every other hour. Right now the ball is in Henry's court. Alex can only hope he has not ruined his chances with Henry. They spend the rest of the day catching each other up on their lives: June catches them up on the latest gossip she heard while working and Alex explains how he managed to convince one of his professors that the question on the test wasn't properly formed and therefore Alex's response was correct and deserves full marks.

When Alex and June's dad arrives the next day, their Christmas preparations can begin in full swing. Alex and his dad lock themselves up in the kitchen to begin preparations for the big dinner: they prep and marinade the turkey, make sure all the veg are ready for roasting and all that jazz. They spend their evenings by the fire in their backyard, just enjoying the family time.

* * *

The next day after their return from Austin, Alex packs a bag and goes to Green Carnation. He hopes Henry will be there as usual and that they will be able to talk as Alex has not heard from him at all throughout the Christmas break. Alex can't stop but feel disappointed, when he walks in and sees not Henry but Pez standing behind the counter. He approaches him anyway.

"Hello Alex," Pez greets him. "The usual for you?" Alex nods and drops some money in the donation box as usual.

"Hi Pez. Happy new year!" Alex says. "Is Henry here today, maybe? I need to talk to him but he has not answered any of my texts."

"No, sorry. He is finished here for the day. There's some paperwork that needs to be done and he is gone to do it." Alex doesn't hide the look of disappointment on his face. He nevertheless grabs his coffee and goes to his table. He might as well get some work done since he got here. This whole uncertainty around Henry makes him think more about his future.

A very similar sequence of events continues to take place for a while. Alex will come to the café daily, hoping to see Henry, but he will be missing in action. Alex would still study there but he stops spending the majority of his time there. Once home, he would lock himself up in his room and ignore everything around him. Alex decides to sign up for LSAT at the nearest test center. The closest date available is just shy over two weeks away. Alex confirms it and throws all of himself at it. It turns out that an upcoming exam serves as a nice distraction from his problems. Who would have thought?

It is towards the end of the month, when Nora walks into his bedroom after Alex came home after another study session at the Green Carnation.

"Alex," she starts at the door. "What's going on? You've been skittish since the party."

"Nothing!" Alex defends himself but knows that it is a lost cause. Nora always knows when he is lying. "Nothing is going on, I swear!"

"Don't lie to me. It is something to do with Harry, is not it?" Nora sits down on the bed next to Alex. "I mean he is hella gay and you've been crushing on him since that first time to came to Green Carnation."

"How do you know?"

"It is obvious. You always smile like a maniac when you get a text from him. And he does it too, you know. And Something happened at the party that made you go all mopey..."

"He kissed me," Alex interrupts her. "And I kissed him back. But then he ran away and ghosted me," Alex admits to her. It feels good to get this off his chest.

"Oh, Henry..." Nora pauses. "He is scared you don't like him. He is afraid of what the future brings and that you're gonna reject him, that's why he has not been coming to Green Carnation. If you're serious about it, go and talk to him. But don't jump head first or you'll scare him. Good luck." With that Nora gets up and exits stage left, leaving Alex lost in his thoughts. It doesn't take him a long time to make his decision. He gets up, puts his shoes on and leaves.

Alex speed walks to Green Carnation, then instead of walking through the door to the coffee shop, he walks up the stairs and knocks on the door. After a moment, when nothing happens, he knocks again. Then he hears the sound of footsteps and someone opens the door. But instead of Henry, as Alex was expecting, that person is Bea.

"I need to see Henry," Alex says instead of a greeting.

"I know," she says. "Come in." She steps aside so he can walk in.

"Before you talk to him, I need to tell you something." Alex stops mid-step and turns around to look at her. "He probably won't like that I told you, but you need to know if you want to take whatever there is between you any further. Henry has an extremely complicated personality, you need to understand that," she looks up to see if he is listening and when she sees him nod, she continues. "We grew up under a great influence of our conservative grandma. We've been brought up to believe that we are only to be with people of similar standing that would be approved by our family. They wouldn't accept it if any of us came out as gay, to the point when we had to hide that part of ourselves deep under a fake persona. The only member of our family that gave us a feeling of belonging, of being accepted, of unconditional love, no matter who we are, was our dad. And his illness and subsequent death hit Henry hard. That's why we left England. Dad's death hit Henry straight beyond his capability of feeling. And from that moment onward, whenever he is hurting, it doesn't only go to the bottom. It goes beyond there. He comes as one with that feeling. You need to understand that to be with him," she pauses briefly and takes a deep breath. "Before you see him, think about it. Make sure you're ready for it."

"I don't have to," whispers Alex. "I already sensed that there's something dark deep inside him, that deep down there he is hurting. And I want to be with him."

"His bedroom is on the left once you reach the landing," Bea says, before getting up and squeezing his shoulder. "He is the most loving, nurturing, selfless person you could hope to meet, and he is prepared to give it all to you, which is far more than I ever, in a thousand years, thought I would see him do."

Alex walks slowly up the stairs and turns left as per Bea's instructions. Before he can knock on the door, they open to reveal Henry standing there, looking like he has not properly slept for a month.

"What are you doing here, Alex?" Henry asks. "I heard you all the way from downstairs."

"Can we talk?" Henry doesn't answer but moves aside so Alex can walk inside.

"So... How much have you heard?" he asks quietly.

"Pretty much everything. You weren't exactly keeping quiet."

"Then I want you to know that it is all true. I want whatever this is we have between us. With you. All of you. I was a mess after that night at the party when you ghosted me, when all I wanted to do for the entire time is this." Alex takes a step towards Henry, grabs his face in his hands and kisses him. At first Henry doesn't react, but the shock wears off soon enough and then it is just like that night on the balcony. Fuck it, it feels better than that. Henry's lips seem to be even softer now than they felt then and Alex can't get enough of them. He deepens the kiss and opens his mouth. He lets Henry's tongue touch his and just like this, their hands are suddenly wandering all over their bodies, touching wherever they can, twisting their clothes just enough to allow access to the bare skin.

They only break the kiss for a moment just long enough for Henry to whisper "I want it too. Everything. With you." And then he kisses Alex again. They're trying to reach the bed, Henry manages to take Alex's outer jacket off. Once they stumble on the bed the sudden urgency in them calms down. It feels just natural to lay there, Henry's head on Alex's shoulder. The intimacy between them feels natural. Alex strokes Henry's hair until he feels him relax under his touch.

"I'm really not letting you go anywhere," whispers Alex. He kisses the top of Henry's head and allows himself to relax for the first time in so long. Neither of them realize when their breathing slows down to the point when they just fall asleep like this on top of Henry's sheets. They have not even realized until afterwards, but they end up shifting so Henry becomes a little spoon to Alex's big one. They wake up in the morning to their new reality, which they get to face together.

* * *

It would be a lie to say that from that day onward Alex and Henry's life was a piece of cake. They spend a lot of time getting to know each other better. Alex learns that Henry's usual quiet demeanor can be shattered when he pokes him right, like that time they were discussing Harry Potter ("I don't give a damn what JK has to say, Remus John Lupin is trans. And as gay as the day is long, and I won't hear a word against it," Henry says, his voice heated, on a Thursday evening they're spending together. "Okay," Alex answers. "For the record, I agree with you, but also, tell me more.") or when they discuss topics they're both passionate about over coffee and croissants at Alex's place after Henry surprises Alex the night before.

"I wish British people wouldn't throw their own marginalized people under a proverbial bus," Henry says. "They will make saints out of people like Freddie Mercury, Elton John or David Bowie, who was shagging Mick Jagger up and down back in the seventies." It seems for Alex that Henry's English literature studies made him especially passionate about gay history.

It is with Henry when Alex understands why he is always been passionate about the gay history of America. Why he wanted to learn everything there was to learn about Stonewall, about The White Night Riot. Why his heart ached when the Supreme Court legalized same-sex marriage in the US. And Henry is there, he listens to Alex's ramblings because he feels that now this has also become his history.

Henry is there with Alex when Ellen publicly announces that she is one of the presidential candidates for Democrats. He is there with him when one time in early March she drops by and offers Alex, June and Nora jobs as campaign staffers and makes Alex's biggest dream come true ("But you first have to graduate college, Alex," she says. "Your education is more important."). He is there with him when Alex officially comes out to her that very same night ("I always knew, son," Ellen tells him. "I love you and will love you no matter whom you want to date. Love is not conditional to me."). In response to that, she gets up and hugs first Alex and then a very surprised Henry ("Welcome to the family," she whispers into his ear. "I can see you already mean so much to him and that he means so much to you. Don't lose it."). When Ellen leaves to get back to DC, they discuss the implications of Alex accepting that job and Alex decides that he wants to stay in New York. Alex talks with Ellen and she manages to agree that he can do his work remotely as much as possible.

It is during Easter break when Henry agrees to go to Lake LBJ with them for a traditional family getaway, when Alex dares to name that feeling that swells in his chest whenever he looks at Henry. _He loves Henry_. They go for a walk by the moonlight on their last night in the cabin. On their way back, they stop by the pier. Alex looks at the moon and the stars reflected by the smooth surface of the lake. They stand there in silence for a minute, or two, maybe five before Henry breaks the silence.

"Are you alright?" he asks, concerned. "I thought I lost you for a moment." He smiles. Alex does that sometimes, he loses track of reality because he is so deeply focused on what's going on in his head.

"You know," Alex starts, not looking at him, even though he really wants to. He knows that if he looks at him now, he won't be able to utter a word but he can't keep it in anymore, he needs to say it. "June says I have a fire under my ass for no good reason. You know how they always say to take it one day at a time? I think I take it ten or twenty years in the future. Like when I was in high school, it was all about my parents hating each other and my sister leaving for college. Then it was about thinking what if I take this class and not that one, or if I take this internship, or this job opportunity Where will it take me? I used to think, if I pictured the person I wanted to be and took all the anxiety in my brain and narrowed it down to that point, I could change it and use it to power something else. It is like I never learned how to just be where I am." Alex finally pauses to take a break. His hands are shaking and he can't stop them from doing it. "And where I am is right here. With you. And I'm thinking maybe I should start trying to take it day by day. And just let myself feel what I feel." Alex finally looks at Henry and locks his dark eyes with the deep blue of Henry's own ones. "Henry I... _I love you_ ," he whispers finally, the words barely audible.

Henry doesn't react or respond to his declaration immediately and that is alright. Alex has learned that Henry sometimes gets overwhelmed when he is unsure of his emotions and he shuts them off completely and it takes him longer to process and accept. The thing is, Henry doesn't have to say anything back to Alex because he is able to show him he cares with gestures. He makes sure Alex has proper breakfast whenever he is staying over at his. He makes sure to send him cute pictures of David when he senses Alex is feeling down. And Alex knows Henry loves him and he will wait for when he is ready to voice it.

When they come back from the getaway at Lake LBJ, Henry rearranges his office to include a separate space for Alex. It is nothing big, but just enough for a desk and a bookshelf. Alex knows it is not much, but he appreciates being able to just work alongside Henry whenever he feels like it. And Alex really enjoys working there. Sometime in the meantime, his LSAT results came in, but Alex has locked them away in a drawer. He doesn't need any distractions now.

"I know this is not much," Henry starts, when he showed Alex the rearranged office. "But I want you to know that I'm glad you're in my life and that you're always welcome here."

The desk over at Henry's turns out to be a brilliant idea and Alex does the majority of his exam prep over there. It is crazy how fast the spring semester went for him now that there's something to look forward to. His exams are spread over the course of the first week of May and Alex is just so ready for it to be over. He does nothing but sleep, study and go to his classes. He is agreed with his mom that they will send over folders for him to work through and he will look at them at the earliest convenience. He can't wait to do it.

His graduation ceremony takes place on Friday, May 15th. It is a warm and sunny day, and Alex wakes up excited for the day ahead. He graduates _summa cum laude_ from Columbia University with a Bachelor's Degree in government. His mom and Leo come down from DC, and his dad flies all the way from California. He knows that June and Nora are here as well. Alex has made a point not to look at the guest seats before he walks on stage so he is eager to look there once he takes his first step onto the stage. And that's when he sees a familiar blond haired face amongst a group of even more familiar faces of his family. His heart skips a beat as he realizes that this is in fact Henry. Alex manages to walk and collect his diploma without any issues and once the official part of the ceremony is over, his family surrounds him. And surprisingly, it is Henry who reaches him first. They hug and kiss for a moment and when they're about to break apart, Henry whispers into his mouth, "I love you."

"I know," Alex says and kisses him again. It feels good to hear it. He will cherish it forever. Henry _is_ his forever.

Once the graduation is over, Alex throws himself straight into his campaign job. He is been sent some files to work through. And he needs to romance the shit out of some focus groups. He loves it so much. And the best part of it is that he can use the knowledge gained while preparing The Texas File to pitch ideas to other members of his mom's campaign staff. It is because of it that they organize rallies in all of the major Texas cities, they try to be present there as much as possible. If his mom wins the presidency but loses in her home state, she would be the first one to do so since Nixon. And they want to do everything for it not to happen. Alex is gone from New York for most of the summer as he goes on the campaign trail, but they do everything in their power to stay closely together. Henry flies over to wherever they're staying for the night or two on more than one occasion and Alex feels good. He feels like he can finally be who he was meant to be.

In November, they start planning the election night in Austin. They gather all of the staff as well as their friends and family and they watch as the gray map of the United States goes blue or red. The campaign hasn’t been the easiest. His mom’s opponent, Jeffrey Richards, a senator from Utah is a vicious player so everyone present gets more and more anxious as the night progresses. The votes are pretty equal for most of the night, they win in Illinois, West Virginia, and New York, but lose in Utah, Kentucky, Indiana. Sometime in the middle of the election night, Henry gets to their venue. He greets everyone and kisses Alex as a greeting, which has a calming effect on him, even if that feeling doesn’t last for very long. Nevertheless, Alex takes Henry’s hand and doesn’t let it go. The tensions are running high throughout the night as his mom and Richards are going head to head. It becomes worse when it’s apparent that it will be down to Texas to decide who wins.

They take their time with the announcement as additional ballots keep coming in. Finally the journalist comes on screen ready to call Texas. It remains neutral for a few more seconds and then it flashes the most beautiful shade of blue that reminds Alex of the times spent at Lake LBJ, as Cooper announces: “Texas: Claremont.” Hell breaks loose before the sentence is finished. Everyone is screaming and clapping. Someone at the back starts chanting “Madam President, Madam President,” and as soon as it starts, everyone is doing it. Alex hugs his mom and leads her to the green room. There he meets June, her makeup smudged and her face overjoyed. They both grab their designated microphones and go on stage.

“Ladies, Gentlemen, and gender nonconforming folk of the United States. Dear voters,” Alex starts. He’s honored that he gets to be the one to introduce their mom to the world. “It is my sister’s and my pleasure to introduce our mother and your first Madam President, Ellen Claremont!” The crowd cheers even louder than before and Alex gets a bit overwhelmed by it all. He will never admit that to anyone, but his mother’s speech becomes a blur to him even though he remains on stage for its duration and it isn’t until he hears his name mentioned when he snaps out of his trance and properly looks around. He sees Henry, standing next to his mother.

“Alex,” he starts. “I know I’m not known for being good at expressing my emotions but I’m here to say that I have seen how hard you work. I have seen your dedication not only to your mom’s campaign but to the lives of people around you. When we first met in a little coffee shop in New York City, I saw a young man dedicated to his studies. Over time I learned that you apply the same, if not greater, dedication to the people you love and care about and I am grateful to be considered one of them. I cannot pinpoint when I fell in love with you. Was it the first day you came in? Was it the second one? It doesn’t matter because if there’s anything certain in the world, it is that I love you,” Henry pauses. He reaches his jacket’s inner pocket and reaches for something. Then he gets on one knee and continues. “Alex, you are my love. My whole life. Will you do me the honor of becoming my husband?”

Alex’s body acts faster than his mind can catch up. He swipes Henry up, hugs him really tight and kisses him deeply. In the corner of his eye, he sees his mom, smiling with approval, he sees Nora and June smirking knowingly, like they have planned the entire thing. He sees his dad and Leo, both looking at him with that expression of a proud father. “Of course I will! How could I not?” he finally manages to say. Alex feels so happy that he thinks it radiates from him in waves. Suddenly, him and Henry are in the middle of a group hug, applauded by dozens of people in the room, whom Alex has already managed to forget.

Their engagement doesn’t change much between them: They still carry on their normal lives, they work, they take David for long walks around Central Park, they live much like they have done before. Alex enrolls back in Columbia, this time to law school. He thinks about specializing in immigration law when he graduates. There’s so much work to do in this area, so many people who need help. He talks about it with Pez when he comes over one time. They both agree that change needs to happen soon. Pez proposes that, after graduation, they set up a project under the wings of Okonjo Foundation and Alex is super excited at the prospect of doing something good for people.

Come January, he skips classes for a couple of days and Henry asks Nora and Pez to cover for him at the café so they both can be there with his mom for her inauguration. After that, they start planning their wedding ceremony. They visit a few places in New York, including the Chelsea Piers, The Plaza, hell they even consider Central Park for a moment before eventually settling on the Brooklyn Botanical Garden. They marry the following spring in a ceremony held there only for their friends and family, and officiated by Madam President herself. For the occasion, they have transformed The Palm House into a rose garden. Each table has been decorated with a bouquet of yellow roses (both for Texas and as a symbol of eternal friendship) and green carnations and instead of gifts, they have asked their guests for donations to the youth shelters run by the Okonjo Foundation. From then onward, they wake up together as husbands, enjoying their breakfast together over a fresh cup of coffee. Over time, Alex learns more and more about Henry’s passion for coffee and starts appreciating it more than just a way of keeping him awake, which always results in Henry smiling at him.

And all is well.

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you for reading! If you want to reach out, feel free to follow me on tumblr [here](http://lady-mephistopheles.tumblr.com) (for general shenanigans) or [here](bea-fox-mountchristen-windsor.tumblr.com) (for RWRB content).
> 
> An Incomplete List of Stuff That Was Said During The Writing Process:  
> "We're gay not satanists." - Net


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